


The Master Hacker: Starship Factory: Near Assembly Line 3A

by moody_trans_detective



Series: Rogueass Galaxy [38]
Category: Rogue Galaxy
Genre: Creepy Doctors, Gen, Memory Loss, Robots, tragic backstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28573932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moody_trans_detective/pseuds/moody_trans_detective
Summary: Dr. Pocacchio informs Steve he's lost some memories.
Series: Rogueass Galaxy [38]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1956043
Kudos: 1





	The Master Hacker: Starship Factory: Near Assembly Line 3A

“Mark? Oh, no, Mark is dead?” Hearing this was difficult. Seeing Dr. Pocacchio’s face was difficult.

“Yes, Steve, you _know_ he’s dead!”

Steve put up his hands.

“Sorry, sorry. I—my programing…” If Dr. Pocacchio said he knew, then Steve must know. “I can’t seem to access where this knowledge must be stored.”

Dr. Pocacchio shook his head. On the couch next to Steve, Desert Claw frowned.

“Will he be okay?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. Steve’s been away a long time, and I don’t know where.”

“I can explain,” said Steve, although he wasn’t sure he could. If he couldn’t access the data that told him Mark was dead, what else could he be missing? Oh, he truly wished he had stayed on the Dorgenark today. “I know I left you when you most needed to not be alone.” This had been a recent piece of memory he’d retrieved. “That must be when Mark died.”

“Yes,” said Dr. Pocacchio. “You went missing around then. I thought I’d lost you both. I’m…so glad to see you again, Steve.”

“As I am glad to see you.”

“So, where were you?” asked Jaster.

“Yes,” said Lilika, gesturing with a hand. She remained standing. “He says Mark has been dead for years.”

“Well, I…Let me go back and access my memory files.”

Steve was aware of their eyes on him as he retreated into himself and went searching. He could remember his time with Mark—Dr. Pocacchio’s only child. He had been Mark’s playmate and bodyguard, specifically created for those tasks. They’d had many fun times together. Mark had been bright, curious, playful. A wonderful child.

And then it was like his files were corrupted. Steve remembered the day in bits and pieces.

“There was an empty room,” he said.

“What kind of room?” asked Jaster.

“It was a child’s playroom. Mark was ten.”

“But you said it was empty,” said Lilika.

“Yes. Yes, it was. I was alone there. Something was wrong. Mark was gone. Dr. Pocacchio told me.”

“And then?” asked Dr. Pocacchio. His face looked very serious.

“I’m not sure. I remember walking the streets. It must be from then because many of the buildings look different now. I went down to the spaceport.”

“Did someone take you, Steve?” asked Dr. Pocacchio. “Were you abducted?”

“No.” Steve looked at his hands, looked up at Dr. Pocacchio. He did not like what his circuits were doing. “I went on my own. I’m sorry, Dr. Pocacchio.”

Yes, he could remember this part better. He’d gone down to the spaceport, to see the ships. Sometimes he and Mark would go do that. Steve had done that, and seen all the ships, and remembered how much Mark had liked adventures. What was more of an adventure than a pirate ship? Now that Mark was gone, Steve had no purpose.

“Whose robot are you?” a pirate had asked when he’d caught Steve poking around the ship.

“Why, nobody’s,” Steve had said.

“Ask ‘im if he wants a job,” a cat from aboard had shouted down. Steve had later learned his name to be Monsha. “Unpaid.”

Steve had accepted. Adventure, he’d told himself, was reward enough. The Dorgenark had been down a robot pilot, and Steve had an array of programmed skills because Dr. Pocacchio had wanted him able to take Mark to safety in a variety of different ways. Steve had accepted, and had gotten aboard, and had turned his back on his father.

“How could my files have gotten like this? How could I have left you here alone?”

“I don’t know, Steve.” Dr. Pocacchio frowned, touched his chin in thought.

Steve was terrified his systems were corrupted, and more than that—he wondered whether it was possible he’d done this to himself, deleted key components of his data, hidden them from himself.

“Oh, how can I ever make it up to you?”

“It’s okay, Steve,” said Dr. Pocacchio. “I forgive you.”

“You do?”

“Yes. How could I not? You’re like another son to me, and you’re here now.”

Steve’s circuits jittered and calmed.

“It’s probably relief,” said Jaster. Steve glanced at the Desert Claw, nodded once.

“I am concerned about the memory loss,” said Dr. Pocacchio. “I’d like to have a look at you, if that’s all right. Maybe I can get to the bottom of why you don’t remember everything. While I’m doing that I can check over everything else too. It’s been a few years since you’ve had an update!”

He chuckled. Steve looked at Desert Claw again. He suddenly realized he did not completely trust Dr. Pocacchio. He had not trusted Lilika earlier. Maybe his systems were more damaged than he thought. He stood.

“My workroom’s just back here,” said Dr. Pocacchio, leading the way.

Steve followed.


End file.
